Gurbeer Singh Gill
from Calgary, Canada writes:
I think its just you, to be honest. I've never been able to get more than a few hours into a Zelda game, with the exception of Ocarina of Time, and I haven't been able to put this one down.

Clint Lott
from calgary, Canada writes:
Correct me if I am wrong, but you are probably much older than zelda. If zelda is not your forte, why not comment on something different. there are many games for Nintendo.

James King
from Ottawa, Canada writes:
For those who have played through the majority of Link's past adventures, having to fetch the baby cradle, go fishing to feed a cat, and herd goats may seem like pointless busy work, but what Nintendo is actually doing is providing a thinly veiled tutorial.

With Wii bringing players to the table that may have never been gamers or may have never owned a Nintendo console in the past, Twilight Princess, in addition to the Wii's control scheme is all brand new. Through out those tasks you learn how to ride the horse, how to aim with the remote, how to fish, etc, which prepare you for your quest ahead.

As for simply ignoring the monsters later in the game, if you choose to play that way, that's up to you. There are some people that find the battle mechanics so enjoyable that they'll actually seek out fights and even go around randomly cutting grass for hours on end (myself being one of these people). But I certainly wouldn't hold it against someone if that wasn't their cup of tea.

A game like Zelda has a scope that is much larger than most games and this particular iteration provides a level of variety and freedom that very few titles on the market can touch. The Zelda series has the knack of igniting the thrill of exploration in its players. Getting a new item or weapon isn't just getting a new item or weapon - it's a key into previously inaccessible areas, or any one of the dozens of hidden passages or potential secrets you made mental notes of on your journey up to that point. For other people these features will make the game seem aimless, or even tedious - making the main draw of the series also the main deterrent for others.

That said, no game is for everyone - even one as esteemed as Zelda. You shouldn't feel as if you're missing out if you don't take advantage of all the mechanics. What I would suggest is to simply play the game the way that is most enjoyable for you. I know I'll be spending pointless hours at the fishing hole myself.

Evil Genius
from ottawa, Canada writes:
.....i would love to throw in my 2 cents about the new Zelda game....however....i still haven't been able to get my hands on a Wii!!!! Their sold out every where...

The Philosopher King
from True North, Canada writes:
Definitely just you dude. All the Zelda games are heavily laden with Japanese metaphors and analogies that add layers of meaning to the story. Compared to the pathetic excuse for story telling that most games employ, I would suggest that maybe RPGs just aren't your style Scott.

Paul who is
from Vancouver, Canada writes:
I bet that you didn't even play more than 10 hours of the game. It takes people around 40 hours to finish the game and most of them wish that it could go on forever. Are you feeling old? Have you lost your sense of humor, feel for adventure, and appreciation of great storytelling? If beating up monsters has become boring to you, then you must be getting close to senior citizen time. The fact that almost everyone who purchased a Wii also purchased Zelda proves that it is probably just you. If I end up in an old folks home, Zelda is going with me.

Brad Richert
from edmonton.ab, Canada writes:
Hmm... Why does the G&M have a game reviewer who represents the minority of gamers? Isn't the point of a reviewer to represent the majority - that is the game-buying public - and deliver an honest review of the game? When your criticism outshines your few positive remarks, your review will naturally have a very negative theme. 'I'm just not feeling it' or whatever this review says has me startled - I would not mind reading this on some blog by a guy with a fair amount of video game expertise (as this reviewer no doubt has), but not here. All this comes across as is 'hey, I play way too many video games and nothing, not even the best game out there, can satisfy me anymore'.

JD Wood
from Toronto, Canada writes:
I got my Wii yesterday at Best Buy... I was #24 in line, they had only 62. I had to arrive at 7:30 as I figured if I were going to get one, I might as well go all out. The kids love it, I love it, my wife loves it! I'll bet everyone was wondering where I had been!

nir arbel
from san francisco, United States writes:
i think you completely hit the nail on the head there about adulthood. i'm a big fan of the zelda series, played many if not most of the games in the series. don't get me wrong, as far as video games go and what they do twilight princess is about the very best you can get out of the medium as it is now and has been so far, but just like you i found that whatever muscle memory i had that enabled me to care about what goes on in a game in realistic terms was all but gone, replaced with an untranslated tug at the back of my neck. and just like you i found that what was really keeping me going was the next opportunity to use the wiimote and nunchuck more actively, also the reason i've been spending a lot more time playing wii tennis than twilight princess. i'm sure i'll play all the way through twilight princess, if only at installments half an hour to an hour long. video games are about me, dammit, and there's more to me than my fingers and my eyes. i'm positive the wii will do a good job of catering both to people like me as well as to people like me a few years ago, it really already does.

Rob G
from Calgary, Canada writes:
It happens to the best of us. Suddenly nerding out with a computer game, no matter how brilliant it is, just isn't all that important anymore. I'm not sure why, but the hours that you spend playing the game just feel lost. However, since reviewing these games is your job, I figure you'd better sit back with LOTR or some Jack Vance and recapture your inner nerd. Hopefully that'll get you back in the mood to spend countless hours in front of a tv screen.

Har Har
from Canada writes:
I can relate. I had the same experience when I played Ocarina of Time. It is basically the same storyline as Link to the Past, and it got old for me. It was very cool to play because Ocarina of Time also had a revolutionary new control system, but come on Nintendo, you can change the story a little bit.

Zelda Fan
from Canada writes:
As a fan of the Nintendo, Super Nintendo, N64, etc... Zelda games, I understand your point. WindWaker was great in many aspects, but I had lost my desire to run down all of the side stories, if I didn't need the ruppies or whatever they offered. I'm guessing that we are getting old, and it's time to move on, right after the get this one finished!

Eli Newman
from Toronto, writes:
I just got into the Zelda games...and this one is great. It takes about 60 hours to complete, and it definitely evolves. I think you had to be more patient with the game, but if you don't like it in the first place, it's hard to wait the 30 hours or so before it starts getting really good. But it does pick up. Part of Zelda is making a huge, layered and detailed world for you to explore, menial tasks included...hey, have you even tried the (SPOILER) Link snowboarding part...that's awesome!!!and not dated at all. I like many of the new weapons as the game goes on. Everything in the game is amazing.

Eli Newman
from Toronto, writes:
BUT even still, you do have a point. This game is extraordinary, BUT, if has some faults. And that fault is, even with all the new bells and whistels, it is not as innovative as Ocarnia of time. In fact, the game is pretty closely modeled after that game, with story (I expected new story turns, but its just a repeat), many paralleled levels, similar music, no voices...etc....So in some ways it hasn't been refreshed...you do have a point. But with that said, the game is still very very great in all elements.

Peter Werry
from Canada writes:
You didn't properly explore this game in the context of Japanese culture. There are many small references to cutsie characters and the like that carry meaning in the form of humour for many Japanese. This game wasn't doctored to make a whole lot of sense to Americans.

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